Overview
The classic Iti pi so formula details the nine supreme qualities of the Fully Awakened One. This list is the primary meditation subject for Buddhānussati (Recollection of the Buddha). By reflecting on these nine traits, a meditator generates immense faith, suppresses the hindrances, and prepares the mind for deep concentration.
The List
- Arahaṃ - Worthy: He is a fully perfected one, having utterly destroyed all defilements and secret evils.
- Sammāsambuddho - Perfectly Self-Awakened: He discovered the Four Noble Truths independently, without a teacher.
- Vijjācaraṇasampanno - Endowed with Knowledge and Conduct: He possesses the supreme psychic knowledges and flawless moral and meditative conduct.
- Sugato - Well-gone: He has walked the right path to Nibbāna and speaks only what is true and beneficial.
- Lokavidū - Knower of the Worlds: He fully understands the entire cosmos—the physical universe, the realms of beings, and the conditioned world of the aggregates.
- Anuttaro purisadammasārathi - Unsurpassed Leader of Persons to be Tamed: He is the supreme charioteer, able to tame and guide even the most violent or stubborn beings.
- Satthā devamanussānaṃ - Teacher of Gods and Humans: He is the universal spiritual guide for both celestial beings and mankind.
- Buddho - Awakened: He has awakened from the sleep of ignorance and awakens others.
- Bhagavā - Blessed / Exalted: He is endowed with supreme glory, having shattered the cycle of rebirth.
Textual References
- Canonical: Dhaja Sutta (SN 11.3) – The Buddha instructs monks to recollect these specific qualities to banish fear and terror.
- Commentary: Visuddhimagga (Chapter VII) – Buddhaghosa dedicates an entire chapter to unpacking the precise meaning of each of these nine words.